


A Best Friend and an Unexpected Invitation

by Tahlruil



Series: Things Clint Barton Has [5]
Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Tony Stark, Boundary Discussions, Boys In Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, How Do I Tag, Inappropriate Coffee Maker, M/M, POV Clint Barton, Sentient Coffee Maker - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, clint is smitten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24074491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tahlruil/pseuds/Tahlruil
Summary: Having Nat back after one of her trips was always a relief, even when she comes back a little roughed up. Bonding with his best friend was always a number one priority when she got home. He didn't even mind when her chosen way to do it involved him giving foot massages and playing with nail polish. Especially when now it only gave him a captive audience he could gush about Tony to. Or complain to about how they wouldn't get to see each other for a while. Or both - both was good.At least he could talk to Tony on the phone. They were both so busy, with no end of that in sight until winter break. Thankfully his genius boyfriend figures out a time they could spend together.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark
Series: Things Clint Barton Has [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/933402
Comments: 42
Kudos: 321





	A Best Friend and an Unexpected Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! :D 
> 
> As I post this, Andy Serkis is doing a live reading of The Hobbit for charity and it's amazing. It started at 5 AM for me, and I was so excited that I couldn't sleep. So I finished this instead and then edited during bits of the book I'm not fond of. XD
> 
> So now you guys get this! 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I'd love comments if you feel moved to make them. I read and squeal over them all even when I don't have the social currency to reply. <3

Nat came back from her mysterious trip late Monday night with a smug air and a nasty looking cut high on her left cheek with a bruise blooming beneath it. Clint didn't ask, because if she wanted him to know she would tell him. Otherwise, he just figured it was the kind of secret where he might end up dead if he fished for it. He knew better than to meddle too much and welcomed her home with a long hug and a pizza loaded with all her favorite (and very disgusting) toppings. Lucky set his head on Nat's lap all during the meal and didn't beg for a slice once. Clearly the dog had missed the woman who was as good as his co-owner when he stayed with Clint.

She didn't protest when Lucky hopped up onto the couch with her and put his head right back on her thigh. Whatever she'd been doing had probably been intense, so now she was sinking into all of the simple, normal comforts of her student life. He'd have to make up the guest bed, small as it was, so she could stay over for a while. A few new paper spiders were probably in order too.

"Want me to paint your toenails?"

"Only if we can gossip about your boyfriend while you do." Despite the tease Nat was already toeing off her socks and was reaching for the little basket of nail polish he kept for just such occasions. "And I want to do your fingernails."

"No gossip! Gossip is way too mean spirited. But I will be happy to report all about how fucking smitten I am with him and tell you how our date went." He lifted his hands above his head and stretched enough that his back popped just a little bit; once that was done he grabbed a little foot stool for Nat and plopped down on the floor in front of her. Nat was a goddess of blood vengeance and deadly beauty, so when she handed him a little bottle of coconut oil he didn't hesitate to start up a foot massage. She deserved someone to pamper her every once in a while. There was no way she'd let anyone else within spitting distance of her, so it was up to him.

"Did you take him bowling or to the park?"

"The park. He wanted to meet Lucky."

" _You_ wanted him to meet Lucky."

"That too." Mentioning her happy little groans and the way her breath hitched when he hit just the right spots would get him dead. She would also make him stop and she needed the pampering, so he wisely pretended he couldn't hear her as he worked the tension out of the arch of her foot. "They loved each other, so it was the right call. They had some real bonding time, at least until Tony started fixing the pedal boats. But Lucky's super understanding, so he didn't mind too much. Me and him played catch and admired the view."

"I'll bet."

"Don't make it sound dirty, Nat, it’s not like that. You old perv. I'm gonna hook you up with Tony's coffee machine if I ever meet her. From what Rhodes tells me you two would get along."

"... do I want to know?"

"Her name is Bernice."

"I don't want to know. When are you going to see him again?"

"We were supposed to have a study date tomorrow, but I got called in. To the restaurant," he added at her grunt of inquiry. "Henry found out that most of the dishwashers were smoking pot out behind the dumpster for like, half of their shifts. They were also poaching food and one guy was using the whole thing as a smokescreen to steal money, so. He called me in."

"You don't work there anymore."

"Yeah, but--"

"He can't 'call you in' to someplace you don't work. He keeps doing that and you keep letting him. You haven’t really worked there since before I started at the university. You shouldn’t--"

"Henry's a nice guy. Fed Lucky all those times until I could take him home with me. So I don't mind helping him out. It's only for a little while. He knows I can handle it with the one solid guy he has left but he gets that I can’t work there forever. Promised to hire more people ASAP, so it’ll just be for a few days. Working there won't interfere with the bar or the archery range."

"And the landscaping?"

"We don't have any big jobs coming up. I guess we're kind of in a slump? Some of the other guys have been saying that there might be layoffs soon. I'm hoping they don't fire me, since it's the one job where I get to be outside. If I do get fired maybe I'll take up dog walking again. Always made good tips. Anyway, we’ve got one job on Sunday and I already told Henry that even if he doesn’t find anyone by then that’s when I have to be done. You want one color or two?"

"I want a design."

"Then you're putting a design on mine." She leveled a look at him, so he stuck his tongue out which got her giggling just a little. Nat didn't giggle for anyone but him, and usually only after an intense mission that ended with foot rubs and nail polish. "I still need colors, unless you're gonna let me pick--"

"No purple." She tipped her head to the side, newly blonde hair falling across her face. "Something pretty and soft. The minty green with pink maybe?"

"Can do, but I'm not attempting freehand flowers again, not even for you. I'll fold you a rose instead, big enough that I can put some little spiders between the petals." He let her think for a minute while he got the colors ready and started planning out his design. Nat deserved nice things, like elegant knives that held a good edge and sleek guns that never jammed. Because he was a fantastic friend he had a stamping plate for that.

"I only want one spider - a big black widow in the middle of my rose."

"Got it. You mind if I add a little bit of white and use that pretty gray too?"

"I give you creative freedom in adding colors." She said it like she was bestowing a gift, which was a trap. Now she was going to expect the same artistic license , and unlike her he wasn't going to be able to hide his nails with shoes. "So you aren't going to see Tony tomorrow?"

"No." It was hard not to pout about it, so he didn't even try. Nat wouldn't judge him. Much. "We're hoping maybe Thursday we can hang out in the student center for at least a little while, and he said he's gonna take me out Friday night so long as there's no major hangups in his projects. I think that means somewhere fancy though, so I may need you to help me buy fancy clothes." Painting her nails the soft, pretty dove gray was a nice, soothing and repetitive task that settled both of them.

"You already have that metallic thong. I'm not sure we can find anything fancier than that."

" _Classy_ fancy clothes, Nat, come on. I got rid of those suits _he_ gave me, and yeah, you were right - it was an overreaction. But now I pretty much have jeans, khakis, and t-shirts. ‘Bout half of my clothes are full of holes too. Probably no place Tony wants to take me is gonna let me in the door wearing what I usually do. Please? I throw myself on your mercy."

"I want another favor."

"No bodies - I don't wanna get arrested. Might put a halt to my budding romance. I feel like a felony conviction might scare Tony off. Never mind what I ain't been convicted of, missy. That's all off the record or sealed behind the many walls of intelligence agency bureaucracy and bullshit clearance levels." He leveled the brush at her, careful to watch for any dripping polish, only to have her giggle at him again. "That's it - I'm freehanding flowers."

They both knew that he wouldn't, but it set off a nice round of playful bickering. Nat loved her knives and guns done in those pretty colors, enough to demand he do her fingernails to match. That set off another 'fight' that ended when she got him in a headlock and forced him to yield. She got matching fingernails and free reign to do whatever she damn well pleased on his.

The purple hearts she painted on were a nice touch alongside the arrows, so he didn't complain too much.

~.~.~

"Heya sunshine. How you doing?" Calling his boyfriend during one of his 15 minute breaks in the afternoon was the absolute best use of that time. Anyone who thought otherwise could fight him.

"Clint! I didn't think I'd get to talk to you today!" Tony was doing that thing where he smiled brighter than the sun, Clint could tell even over the phone. "And I'm annoyed with Rhodey. He was being mean to Bernice this morning, and she wasn't even really flirting with him! He was overreacting. And I'm bummed that I don't get to see you until Friday, which is also his fault. I mean, he's right - the project we're working on together does need some tweaking before our presentation next Tuesday and my top secret project is _so close_ to being done and I can't wait for you to mee-- I mean. I can't wait to show h-- it. I want to show it off to you." Clint was about 90% sure the 'top secret project' was a robot that would one day take over the world, but he didn't let on that he knew. It was cute the way Tony stumbled over trying not to call the project 'him'. "I'd rather put in the time before the weekend."

"I'm sure your project is super awesome. Can't wait to see for myself. And hey - maybe if you get enough done we can do another Sunday date. I got a call this morning, and that landscaping job fell through so I'm free as a bird that day."

"That's a fucking awesome incentive, so yeah. I'll get enough done and put in extra hours on Saturday if I have to. Hey, hey."

"Hey what?" He was smiling too big for a shitty alley behind a mediocre restaurant and he knew it. Washing dishes was harder than people might think and it sorta sucked a lot. It was just hard to be mad about it when his boyfriend sounded so damn happy just to talk to him on the phone. And maybe they were both bummed about not seeing each other as often as they might like, but it was a nice change of pace not to have a partner who made him feel shitty about how much he worked. He got the feeling Tony was equally thrilled by it.

"I saw Nat today. Well, not saw - hung out with. We had our own version of a study date. She's terrifying." Tony sounded downright delighted with that, because he was pretty much perfect. "Some guy tried to hit on her and she shut him down so fast. I thought she might stab him with something when he tried pushing. Oh! Oh! She said that maybe over break when we both have some time she could teach me some self-defense stuff."

"Yeah? You should take her up on that. She knows her stuff and she's pretty good at teaching it. Just... be careful of her thighs of death."

"Thighs of death?"

"Uh-huh. I have it on good authority that a lot of people find the move inappropriately sexy. I just find it really bad for air flow, but different strokes. If she offers to show it to you - and she will - just be warned."

"Hm. I am intrigued and a little scared. And hey, where'd she get that cut? Looks pretty serious and the bruise that came along with it looks nasty too."

"If I don't ask she won't have to kill me."

"You're both so sketchy."

"I prefer 'morally ambiguous'."

Tony's laughter warmed him better than a shot of the best whiskey. He was so fucking gone on the guy that it was ridiculous. Maybe he should talk to Nat and tell her to keep him away from any jewelry stores, because he might be moved to do something dumb and impulsive. No way did he want to tie Tony down like that - guy deserved much better than Clint Barton as his forever partner.

"So how are you doing? And how much longer can we talk?"

"I'm all pruney from the water and I hate it. I forgot why I quit this job and took up bartending, but it's all coming back to me. It’s been a really fucking long day too - I’ve been here since seven this morning. And let me see..." He pulled his phone down to check the time and couldn't help but sigh. "We have about seven more minutes." The way Tony whined was gratifying, but it also pulled at his heartstrings. "When I get home I could call again, if you want. Or are you gonna be at the 'shop?"

"... I can be home. This is one of Rhodey's long days, so he won't want to work on our project. And I was down at the 'shop earlier, so... yeah. I'll be home if you want to call." There was a long pause, and somehow he got the feeling that Tony was chewing on his lower lip the way he did when he was thinking. "Or you could come over? For a little while. Or maybe you could even... I mean. I don't want to... but you could. If you promise we don't have to-- uh. Do you want to?"

"Not sure exactly what you're asking, sunshine," he said as gently as he could. "I'd love to come over, but not if it's gonna make you uncomfortable. And I'm gonna be tired, so I might fall asleep if we do something like watch a movie. And hey - we don't ever _have_ to do anything. I'm good with what we've got going - real good."

"Me too." There was something close to awe in Tony's voice, which made him uncomfortable. The kind of uncomfortable that would lead to maiming once Rhodes ponied up some names. He also wanted to wrap his boyfriend up in blankets and make sure no one ever made Tony uncomfortable ever again. "And I was kind of asking if you wanted to stay the night. Since you're tired and I'm going to be tired and we don't have to do anything but cuddle. Would that... I mean I know you have Lucky and you probably have to get up early tomorrow for a job so maybe it isn't worth it--"

"You are totally worth it and I don't have to be up that early. And Nat's crashing at my place. She does that for a while after her trips sometimes, so she could take care of Lucky for me. Are you sure... I don't want you to feel like you have to let me stay over. I could come for a few hours and take a cab home." Henry was paying him under the table, so he'd have enough disposable cash to do that much. Maybe even enough to be able to bring dinner over for his boyfriend and Rhodes. "I like spending time with you, sunshine, even if it's only a couple hours here and there right now. So if you're not sure--"

"I'm sure. You should come over and spend the night. Bring your own pajamas, because between your fantastically muscled biceps and thighs nothing I have would fit you."

"Alright. But just so you know, I am totally cool with sleeping on the couch if I need to. With your fancy place it's probably comfier than my bed."

"You are the best boyfriend."

"Nah. Just don't wanna mess this up. I told you - I'm real good with this. So I gotta make sure I treat you right." Tony probably would have started a round of self-deprecation to match his own, but he could hear Henry hollering through the back door for him to get his ass back inside. "Hey, I have to get going. After my shift I'll swing by my place and then text you when I'm on my way over, okay? And let me know if you want me to pick up some takeout on the way."

"Okay. I'll see if Rhodey wants anything and text you. Bye Clint. Don't work too hard!"

"Never do. See you later sunshine."

Contrary to what he'd told Tony, he put his all into keeping up with the demand for clean dishes in the kitchen. Henry's place was a popular little restaurant that was just nice enough not to be a dive. The old man was grumpy, crude and demanding, but his softer side was enough to keep Clint from abandoning him completely. He'd kept Lucky from starving, had let Clint crash in the office for a week when he'd lost his last apartment and had even fixed his clunker of a car a time or two when it wouldn't start at the end of a shift. He was a good guy, and there was no way Clint would half-ass it or not show up even if Nat didn't really understand why.

She'd still been heavily involved with working for his least favorite former employer back then. That didn't leave a lot of time for socializing or any space at all for a couch surfer. Henry had saved him back when Nat was still working on saving herself.

He brought home a big slice of cheesecake for her in the hopes that she wouldn't give him too much shit about his sleepover. She liked Tony so he was pretty sure it would work. Especially when she saw that despite her worries over what the water would do to his hands, his nail polish was still perfectly intact. The artist in her would probably be preening over how good they still looked. It might even be enough to earn Lucky a trip to the park in the morning instead of just a walk. He knew for a fact she didn't have class until after noon, and she was weak for his dog's sad eyes. That combined with his careful preservation of her work and the offer of cheesecake should be enough to do the trick.

Rhodes might need a bribe of his own to keep him from following through on his threats from the last date. The thought of what the fuck that swan emoji could mean haunted him. He really needed to introduce the guy to Nat - she would love to meet someone almost as hot and menacing as she was.

~.~.~

Some people in Tony's building were starting to recognize him. He could tell which ones because they only wrinkled their noses at him instead of acting like he was out murder or rob them. One man even held the elevator door for him, which was great. Pressing the button with his hands full of takeout in multiple bags would have been a pain in the ass. Apparently it was Chinese night for Tony and Rhodes, and they did not skimp on the food volume. They clearly liked having leftovers. He'd added his usual to the mix to make a truly unnecessary amount of food and been a little miffed and a little grateful when he got to the restaurant and found out that Tony had paid over the phone. The bill would have eaten most of what he'd earned; now he could spend it on dog treats instead.

He just maybe would have liked to be able to buy his boyfriend and his boyfriend's roommate dinner. It was a stupid pride thing that he couldn't quite let go of.

Tony couldn't do a koala-leap when he opened the door, not with so many bags in the way. It was disappointing for both of them, and Tony's expression fell before swiftly changing to the beaming smile that was his usual greeting. His boyfriend could and did lean up to give him a sweet kiss. "You came," Tony murmured against his mouth, like he was surprised Clint had followed through. Like there was any way he would blow the guy off or miss the chance to spend some time together.

"Any time you invite me, I'm there."

"Unless you're working."

"Unless I'm working," he allowed before thinking better of it. "Well, mostly. If it’s important or you just need me then I'll be there even if I'm on the job." That look he didn't really like was on Tony's face again, the one that said most people didn't give him that level of consideration. Clint really wished he knew who to punch for that. "Can I come in, or are you just gonna take the food and leave me out here in the hall?"

"Oh! Sorry, got so excited you were here that I kinda... Clint. Clint. Clint." Long, capable fingers wrapped around his wrist and Tony began to tow him forward with a surprising amount of force. Guy was stronger than he liked to admit. "You have to come into the kitchen right now and set the food down, because you're finally here for a while and you have to meet her. Bernice! I brought him!"

He really wasn't sure he liked that Bernice knew about him. Maybe she was only mostly sentient, whatever the hell that meant, but there was still a possibility she was bent on world domination. She and Tony's secret project could work together to subjugate the human race. Though they were both created by Tony, so he had a feeling their rule would be benevolent. Maybe it was fine if Bernice knew him on a personal level after all.

"Where is he? You've been talking up this cutie since I was made. I'm ready to see the goods for myself." Oh God, Rhodes was right. She sounded _exactly_ like the women he used to evade at all costs when he had worked at that diner. Well, unless he needed money - then he just made sure to bend over to pick up dropped silverware a lot and made mad tips. "He better be as hunky as you said, or I'll have to burn his coffee."

"She doesn't mean it," Tony promised softly while Clint processed the fact that he was about to have his level of sex appeal judged by a coffee maker. "Bernice takes pride in her work, so unless you really piss her off your coffee will be perfect. Here he is!" The announcement was made in a much louder voice, and Clint finally got to lay eyes on the infamous Bernice.

Bernice was housed in probably the fanciest coffee maker he'd seen since his stint as a barista. She had all the bells and whistles, probably made coffee by the single serving, and could probably whip up a mean cappuccino to boot. The addition of what obviously was her eye right above all her buttons was pretty fucking disconcerting. Mostly sentient his ass - things that could see him and decide if he was ‘hunky’ or not were clearly capable of full thought.

"Hey Bernice, it's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you too. Tony's always telling me how great you are and I can see he wasn't lying." He threw a wink her way and he was pretty sure he heard her sigh in response. The tiny bit of steam that puffed out only solidified that. "Can't wait to taste your coffee."

"Ooh, I like him. Tony I need you to throw a spoon on the ground for me. It's very, very important."

Yup. Pervy old woman who'd probably smoked a pack a day most of her life. Tony had clearly gone all out in the effort to annoy Rhodes. It would’ve made him a lot more uncomfortable if she’d had hands to pinch him with, but flirting and heavy innuendo didn't bother him much. If she ever went too far he'd just have to tell her to stop and put up with burnt coffee for a while.

"Bernice!" Tony's cheeks were flaming and he looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. Or maybe like he was regretting the decision to program her the way he had. "We talked about that, remember? You said--"

"I know, I know. I was only teasing honey. Did you want some coffee now, Clint, or should I go into standby mode?"

"I'm exhausted, but if I have a coffee now I'll be up all night. Can't wait to have one in the morning though."

"Alright then. You just let me know if you need anything." Her 'eye' closed the way an automatic camera lens would, and it was really pretty fucking awesome. If that was what Tony could do with a coffee maker, he couldn't even imagine what the genius could come up with when he got to design every element himself.

"Okay, flirting aside she is probably the coolest thing I've ever seen."

"Yeah. I really need to sit down and talk with her about the... you know." The creak of the floor behind him meant Rhodes was there. He fought the instinctive need to tense and be ready for an attack. No matter what his training said, he didn't need to worry about having his back to the guy. Rhodes wasn't a threat, not really. Not unless Clint hurt Tony, which wasn't going to happen. "I think maybe she does that kind of thing a lot to Rhodey when I'm not there to scold her."

"She does." Tony startled and yelped, whirling to face Rhodes with an accusing look. Clint just grinned and let the man take some of the bags from him, earning a narrow look. Clearly Rhodes had wanted to spook him too. "All the damn time. I told you we need to give her some kind of sexual harassment training. Hey Clint."

"Rhodes. How you doing?"

"Pretty good. My art elective is kicking my ass, but I expected it. I’m not really very artsy. I hear you're staying the night."

"Unless you or Tony decide to kick me out. Don't mind going home if I need to. Also planning on using the couch." Rhodes' shoulders visibly lowered as tension left them. He'd understood everything Clint had left unsaid and gave him a friendly nod.

"You're not going home and you're not using the couch," Tony grumbled as he took the rest of the bags. The pair of them began to lay everything out with practiced ease, moving around each other like they were in a dance. It was kinda cool to see it from the outside looking in. He knew he and Nat did that too; maybe their intense little friendship wasn't as weird or singular as they'd always thought. "I plan on getting lots of snuggles out of you tonight. Plus you're tired and you should get a good night's sleep, not have a crick in your neck tomorrow morning because of the couch."

"I've slept in worse places. Way worse places. So if you decide you've gotten your fill of cuddles then I'll camp out there. Don't argue with me, sunshine," he added quietly. "I'm always gonna do what you're comfortable with." Ignoring Rhodes, who was watching him carefully, he came up behind Tony and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist. He hooked his chin on one shoulder and lowered his voice so he could pretend Rhodes couldn't hear him. "Boundaries are important. I want to make sure you feel safe giving me yours. So the offer to leave or sleep on the couch stays on the table. If you wake up at three in the morning and want me out of your space, then out of your space I go, as far away as you want. Okay?"

"Best boyfriend." The bare minimum of decency wasn't reason for the breathy, deeply pleased sound of Tony's voice. Still, he'd take it if it meant his boyfriend knew he was serious. "Here’s a plate, go ahead and get what you want. Just make sure you leave enough of the sweet and sour pork for Rhodey, or he'll stab you with his chopstick."

"That was _one time_ , and I was drunk. I didn’t think I’d actually get you with it!"

"Maybe, but I still have the scar so I get to bring it up as often as I want." Listening to the pair of them bicker was comfortable and familiar, like an afghan blanket settling over his shoulders. It was like a balm for his tired mind and allowed him to relax. He didn't need to fill any silences, didn't need to be larger than life to make sure someone was paying attention to him. Not when Tony's hands were constantly brushing over his arms and shoulders, and Rhodes kept shooting him fond but exasperated expressions at all the ridiculous, wonderful things Tony spouted off. They were engaging him without forcing him to force it and it was really, really nice. Rhodes even caught him when he tripped over the little dip in the floor where the kitchen met the living room. And neither of them laughed or rolled their eyes when his shin hit the coffee table and he bit out a curse.

It was just what he needed after a long day of hard labor. All that he needed to make it perfect was Lucky at his feet and Nat curled up in one of the armchairs, reading a book and snarking periodically at them.

He yawned his way through dinner, half paying attention to the conversation and the movie playing in the background. Every once in a while he would join in the discussion but for the most part just sort of drifted. It had been a longer shift than he was used to anymore and he was comfortable, well-fed and in good company. Eventually he tucked himself against Tony's side and settled his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. It was nice there, where he could close his eyes and breath the genius in. It didn't take long before Tony's head tipped enough to rest against his, a quiet sigh escaping the man's lips. Things got even cozier when Tony dragged a blanket down to cover them. It was easy after that to pull his feet up onto the couch, lean heavily against his boyfriend and drift off into a light doze.

Neither man knew it, but it was a testament to how safe he felt that his consciousness only fluttered back into being a handful of times for the rest of the movie. When Rhodes stood and then came to sit back down, when Tony laughed especially loud at some comment from his roommate or maybe an antic on screen. He surfaced a little longer when he felt fingers running through his hair, but that was mostly because it felt good enough that he wanted to savor it.

All good things always ended though, so he blinked the sleepiness away quickly when Tony gave his shoulder a gentle shake. "Hey, sleeping beauty. I hate to wake you," and he did sound sorry about it even after Clint smiled and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "But I think you'd sleep better in a bed, and I'd like to head that way myself."

"You have the best ideas sunshine. But are you sure you want--"

"For Tesla's sake. Come on, you dork. I'll show you where the bathroom is so you can put on whatever you're going to wear to sleep." For just a second there was a flicker of hesitation on his face and Clint hurried to chase it away.

"Sweats and a tank top. Well, I have shorts too but you don't keep it too hot in here, so sweats it is."

"You can wear the shorts," Tony argued as he pulled Clint down the hallway, snagging the backpack he'd brought on the way. "I know I hate it when I wake up sweating in the middle of the night. I want you to be comfortable too."

"Whatever you say."

"That was very close to a 'yes dear', so watch it."

"Sure thing sunshine."

"Nicknames won't save you." The glare Tony shot his way was way too adorable to be threatening because the genius was clearly pleased underneath. "Here's the bathroom - my room's down the hall on the left." Another pause, either shy or skittish. "Knock first?"

"Of course." One kiss became two became a swift flurry to make Tony giggle and chase away the tension starting to fill his frame. "See you in a couple minutes." He watched his boyfriend duck into his room, mostly because he could hear that Rhodes was waiting at the other end of the hallway. After the quiet 'snick' of the door shutting, the man approached him.

"You might be earning a name or two soon," Rhodes told him softly. "He deserves someone who cares about his boundaries - always has." The man clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze, a small smile hovering on his lips. It was a ringing endorsement, almost as good as the rare giggle or even rarer hug from Nat. They didn't need Rhodes' approval, but it was sort of nice to have it anyway. "See you in the morning, Clint."

"Night Rhodes." He was going to make breakfast for them, he decided as Rhodes ambled to his own room. If they had the right stuff he could make a mean omelette or maybe some pancakes. Bacon or sausage too. It was just a matter of setting his internal alarm to wake him up early enough that he could surprise them. Maybe he could have a nice chat with Bernice while he was at it, see if he could explain why she should tone down the flirting a little bit.

As he thought about how to do that he changed and brushed his teeth, lingering at both chores so Tony had plenty of time to get ready. His boyfriend flung the door open as soon as he knocked, and this time there was nothing stopping him from jumping at Clint. He hadn't expected it so he stumbled back a step, laughing softly but catching Tony all the same. He got a kiss for his efforts and then a cold nose pressed against his throat.

"Hi," Tony said quietly like they hadn't spent a couple hours together already.

"Hi sunshine. Thanks again for inviting me over. I missed you." Stupid, that was so stupid - he'd seen Tony two days before, and maybe he was smitten but he wasn't a clingy asshole.

"Me too." That... made him feel better. A lot better. Less like a jerk and more like they were both in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. "We met in the busiest part of the semester," Tony complained into the crook of his neck. "I wish it had been earlier, when I had a little more free time."

"You're not the only one who's busy. I could drop one of my jobs maybe, but Christmas'll be here before you know it--"

"It hasn't been too bad," his boyfriend interrupted. "And I liked talking to you on the phone, and I like that you're here. Maybe we could do more of that."

"Anything for you, sunshine. Do you need to go to the bathroom for anything, or should we go to sleep?"

"I need to go brush my teeth. You can go on and get comfortable - I'll be in in a second."

Tony's room was pretty much what he'd expected. The desk was cluttered with odds and ends for Tony to use in smaller projects and more of the same littered the floor around it. On the walls were old band posters for more heavy metal groups than he had ever heard of. His boyfriend said it was the best music to build to, while classical was better for drafting and dreaming up new designs. The only thing that surprised him was the way the bracelet he'd made for Tony was in one of the only completely clear spaces in the room, resting on the nightstand. Next to it was the little crane and first attempt at a robot he'd absently folded out of lined paper during their second study date. He hadn't even known that Tony had kept them.

That warm feeling that he associated with Tony, with his sunshine, curled through his chest and all the way down to his toes.

After staring for probably too long, he shook himself and went to the bed. He'd gotten the feeling that Tony would feel better if he was already in bed when the genius returned. Maybe it was a little less scary, gave his boyfriend a little more control. Whatever the reason he was happy to do it. A quick study of the pillows and blankets had him pretty sure that Tony usually slept on the left, closer to the door. Part of him grumbled about that, because he really would rather put himself between his boyfriend and possible danger, but that was just the paranoid bastard in him. It wasn't very likely that anything bad would happen and even if it did he should be able to react fast enough.

Probably. He was glad that Tony was interested in learning some self-defense from Nat. That grumbling part of him might stand down a little easier once they started.

He'd only just settled on his back, one hand behind his head, when Tony returned and shut the door behind him. There was a long moment where they stared at each other, long enough that he thought his boyfriend might be having second thoughts. But before he could offer again to take the couch Tony flicked off the light and padded over to join him.

There was a moment of awkwardness when he got into the bed - there always was, in Clint's experience, whenever sharing a bed with someone new for the first time. Eventually they both laughed and settled into a comfortable snuggling position. Tony's head was on his shoulder, their legs tangled and one of Clint's arms draped over his boyfriend's waist.

Every time they were together he was struck by how damn _sweet_ it all was. He'd never known he wanted something like what they were building, never realized how good it felt to be so soft and smitten. Once it was over and Tony moved on to someone who could give him everything he deserved, Clint didn't think he'd ever be able to go back to the kind of relationships he'd had before. Tony was ruining him for everyone else and he wasn't even mad about it.

"I like holding you," he said quietly in the dark, braver because Tony couldn't see him. "You're good at cuddling. 'S nice."

"Yeah, it is. Cuddling is probably my favorite part of dating. I'm glad you like it too. And thanks for, you know. Putting up with... uh. You know. I don't want to be... I mean. Usually it doesn't take me so long to, you know." He did, and it was so, so hard not to show how fucking _furious_ he was at everyone Tony had dated before. "I'm sorry for not... I just... I never get to go slow and enjoy the cuddles."

"Well you can have all the cuddles you want, because they're awesome. And we can go as slow as you’d like or stop right here even, at kisses and snuggles. Because this? This is kind of perfect. So don't thank me or apologize or anything like that. Alright?"

"Mmm. Thanks for coming over."

"Thanks for inviting me. Sweet dreams, sunshine."

"You too."

A comfortable, heavy silence fell, like a blanket wrapping them up. Clint turned his head to bury his nose in Tony's hair and closed his eyes. Sleeping in an unfamiliar place was usually much harder, but he'd already dozed in the living room with Rhodes there. Now that they were alone in the quiet, his boyfriend pulled in close, it wasn't hard at all to lower his guard enough to drift off into a true sleep. His dreams were as sweet as what he felt for Tony, and he didn't wake even once until the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, as a side note - we're almost six hours into the reading, and we're only just reaching Thranduil's Halls in Mirkwood. XD It's been fantastic and if anyone is reading this soon after posting and is interested in checking it out, you can watch it by going to Andy Serkis' Facebook page.
> 
> Hope you're all safe and healthy, and that you're finding a way to get through these stressful times. <3


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